Gaming machines, such as slot machines, are a cornerstone of the gaming industry. At least some known gaming machines include a video display device to display a reel game that includes a plurality of reels, wherein each reel includes a reel strip including a plurality of symbols. During game play, the gaming machine accepts a wager from a player, the player selects one or more paylines, the gaming machine spins the reels, and sequentially stops each reel to display the generated combination of symbols on the reels. The gaming machine then awards the player an award based on the combination of symbols orientated along the selected payline.
At least some known gaming machines display reels having one or more wild symbols that may represent any other symbol in a symbol combination. When the wild symbol appears in a combination, at least some known gaming machines will substitute the wild symbol with another symbol to produce a winning combination on the corresponding payline. In known gaming machines, because the wild symbol may represent any other symbol, the wild symbol appears infrequently in the reel strip. Over time, during game play, the player may become frustrated because the wild symbol does not regularly appear in the game outcome. Accordingly, new features are necessary to appeal to player interest and enhance excitement in order to entice longer play and increased profitability. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.